Volvo Cars’ comprehensive efforts to ensure its EX30 has the lowest carbon footprint of any Volvo car to date have been rewarded with the fully electric small SUV receiving the Sustainable Interior award in the 2024 Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards.
Andrea Thompson, Marie Claire UK Editor in Chief, said: “Volvo has made an impressive commitment and investment in the traceability of the products used in its vehicles. Blockchain technology significantly boosts transparency of the raw material supply chain, empowering customers to make informed, conscious choices.”
Now in their fourth year, the awards celebrate ground-breaking products, innovative business models and leaders who “go the extra mile to build a better tomorrow”. The winners were selected by a judging group that included experts from Marie Claire UK and the B Corp sustainability advisory Seismic.
Marie Claire UK highlighted how Volvo Cars has reduced the number of components in the EX30’s cabin, for example providing a centrally positioned array of window controls and using a sound bar for the in-car audio instead of multiple speakers. It also praised the “innovative finish” featuring woven flax, textile fibres from recycled denim jeans and plastics sourced from recycled window frames. The Nordico seat upholstery is also made from recyclables, including PET bottles and bio-attributed materials from Scandinavian forests.
Nicole Melillo Shaw, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, said: “The Marie Claire UK sustainability award gives great recognition to our efforts to reduce carbon, specifically in an area where people can see close-up what can be achieved. The EX30’s interior shows just what high-quality, visual and tactile appeal can be created using recycled and recovered materials. This, of course, is just one element in the all-round sustainability we are delivering in the EX30, setting the bar for future models and driving our progress towards future carbon neutrality.”
Volvo Cars’ focus on reducing the overall carbon footprint of the EX30 covers every aspect of the car and its complete lifecycle. Parts and materials suppliers have committed to using 100% renewable energy, and Volvo Cars has streamlined its production processes to ensure emissions efficiency and materials traceability. Recycled materials are used wherever possible in the EX30’s construction. At the end of its useful life, the EX30 is also designed so that 95% of its content can be recovered, while the remainder can be used for energy recovery.
The achievements with the EX30 support Volvo Cars’ global aim to reduce its overall CO2 emissions per car by 65-75% by 2030 from 2018 levels.
